Field Work
by Child of Loki
Summary: Sarah opts for some field work with the rest of her team. But it's a little different than digging in the desert. Can she cope? Possible Sarah/Becker... (Genre: ACTION!)
1. A Not So Whimsical Day

**Author's Note: Started this one quite a while ago… Since my thirst for blood/violence/action (in reading/writing) has returned, or was never slaked, I think I shall return to this piece.**

**Special thanks to a friend for providing creature suggestion. :-)**

**Timeframe: Er… Late series three or alternate series four? Team consisting of Danny, Abby, Connor, Sarah & Becker, anyway…

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It wasn't all that bad of a day. A little overcast, gloomy, but not outright melancholy. Neither was it threatening rain. However, the wind had picked up slightly, whisking the black locks of hair away from Dr. Sarah Page's face as she ran for her life. And it was also whisking away the scent of her, carrying it to tickle the sensitive noses of the creatures doggedly pursuing her down the abandoned street.

No doubt the waft of pomegranate shampoo, rain-fresh laundry soap, and human perspiration tantalized their reptilian palates, caused their unsated stomachs to growl. It egged them on instead of allowing them to succumb to the methods of energy conservation to which most predators ascribed. No, counter intuitively, they were not abandoning a prey that proved too costly in energy expenditure to pursue. She wouldn't deny that she could not be counted amongst the smallest, nor the skinniest, persons in the world. But she was fairly certain that she would not provide any calories beyond what they had already spent in chasing her down, especially divided amongst the dozen or so of them.

So, how was she worth it? Why wouldn't they back off?

Not to even mention that being picked apart by raptors was not her idea of a nice way to spend the afternoon, or the sort of death she'd wish to have. Right, so they weren't exactly velociraptors, as Connor had earlier explained (in a manner not unlike a primary student eager to impress his parents with his school project). They were _Borogovia_, a Late Cretaceous theropod named for Lewis Carroll's _Jabberwocky_, but ne'er so whimsical, in Sarah's humble opinion. And neither dream-like or the things of nightmares, they were very much real, and serious trouble.

And at the moment, it was not of the slightest concern to Sarah whether they were the razor sharp teeth of velociraptors or borogovia that were snapping at her heels as she barely managed to outpace them.

The street was utterly deserted, and there were plenty of little hideaways, but with the borogovia pack just a few yards behind, there was no chance they wouldn't be on her before she could even crawl under a car or smash a window and climb through it.

But neither could she run forever.

Up ahead, about ten yards or so away, on her right...an alley joined the street. But if it dead-ended, it would be _her_ bones that went 'snickerty-snack'!

Where was-

She couldn't help but yelp. As she passed the alleyway, a strong hand had grabbed the front of her shirt, spun her about and slammed her back against the unyielding brick a few feet to what had originally been her right. It had been none too rough a gesture, but neither was it completely gentle. Before she could force her eyes to focus after the dizzyingly fast journey into the alley, she was pushed along the wall a bit and shoved into a recess, sandwiched between a regrettably pad-locked steel door and what appeared to be some very solid muscle.

A hand covered her mouth, silencing her as the sound of chaotic clattering of claws upon asphalt became rather pronounced. The borogovia were passing the alley.

Blood pounded in her ears, but she could still discern the slow, lone _click-click _of a single creature that had lagged behind the pack. Did it know they were there, barely out of sight? Could it hear her holding her breath? The pounding of their hearts?

Could it smell them? A mixture of sweat, fragrances, gun powder, dirt and blood?

Would it call for the others to come and devour them alive?

She looked to the soldier, her eyes wide with fear. His gaze reassured her, so calm and confident. Captain Becker held her fast, his body shielding her from the threat milling about just a few metres away. And despite the terror, she felt safe with her teammate so near.

_Thanks, Abby_," Sarah thought. The young woman's advice had definitely proven useful.

TBC…


	2. 1 Hour 34 Minutes Ago

**Author's note: This fic is an experiment in nonlinear narrative. Thus chapters may be short flashbacks. We'll see if it works or not. I just felt like playing with styles again…

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_One hour and thirty-four minutes earlier..._

"Stick with Becker," Abby whispered as she adeptly unpacked a tranq gun from the back of their SUV, and began loading it.

"Why?" Sarah whispered back.

"Danny's going to direct us to split up," She began to explain as she worked. "It makes sense with a pack of creatures this large."

"But why Becker?"

"Somebody's got to watch Connor's back and I know him best, the idiotic situations he's bound to get himself into..." An amused grin threatened her tough, business-like facade. "And while Danny is a good guy, he's got other concerns -strategies and the lives of everybody in the area- on his mind. Becker's primary concern is our safety. He'll have your back no matter what. Not that you're going to need it."

The petite blonde handed over a tranquilizer gun to Sarah, who gave her a slightly alarmed look.

"This is the exact unit we practiced with -you've got this, Sarah."

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**A/N: Haven't decided yet whether this will contain any shippiness...**


End file.
